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New hope for Alzheimer's cure
ROBYN RILEY
July 23, 2006 12:00am
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IN a world first, Melbourne scientists have developed a once-a-day pill that they claim may cure Alzheimer's disease. Human trials of the drug start next month.
The drug -- called PBT2 -- was developed by a team from the Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria in collaboration with Melbourne-based Prana Biotechnology.
"It is a major breakthrough and very much a Melbourne discovery," said Prof George Fink, the director of the Mental Health Research Institute.
"Though much depends on the next phase of human clinical trials . . . early results indicate this drug offers hope to people with Alzheimer's disease," he said.
The revolutionary drug stops the buildup of a protein called amyloid.
Many scientists accept amyloid is a major cause of Alzheimer's as the protein is thought to cause the brain to "rust".
Prof Fink said the drug could significantly prevent Alzheimer's developing or delay the on-set of the brain disease for many years.
Early clinical testing has confirmed the drug is fast-acting. Levels of amyloid dropped by 60 per cent within 24 hours of a single dose.
It found also that PBT2 suppresses the impairment of memory function.
More human studies begin in Sweden next month and Australians will join a major international trial of the drug next year.
Alzheimer's is a progressive and fatal brain disease. It is the major form of dementia, a disease that affects one in four Australians over the age of 60.
Prof Fink said the institute was optimistic about the results of clinical trials and said the drug could be on the market within four years.
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